WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – The William Woods University Softball team was eliminated from the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Softball Tournament on Monday when they were swept by Williams Baptist College. The Owls were defeated 1-0, in game one and 3-1, in game two.
 
Game One
Game Flow
The Owls and Eagles were locked in a pitchers dual for the first game of the double header as neither teams offense could get anything going. Williams Baptist looked as if they had something going in the bottom of the second, after a walk and a WWU error put two on, the Owls got the next hitter to retire and end the inning.
 
Allison Waskow continued to keep the Eagles off balance at the plate, but the Eagles looked to get to her in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ashley Lyons singled to lead off the inning and she advanced to second on a bunt single by Haley Hambrick. After a sacrifice bunt advanced them to second and third, Williams Baptist was threatening with one out. The Eagles loaded the bases after another WWU error, however, the runners would be stranded on base as Waskow got the next two hitters to pop out and round out to end the inning.
 
For the second straight inning, Williams Baptist looked as if they would get the first run across. With one out and the bases loaded after three straight singles, Waskow again settled won and got the next two hitters retired keeping the game scoreless.
 
The Owls put its leadoff hitter on in the top of the sixth inning to get the offense going, however, the runner was picked off and the next two WWU players were retired.
 
Williams Baptist continued to put runners on base against Waskow and Waskow continued to strand them on base. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Eagles had runners second and third with two outs, Waskow got Brooke Mason to pop out to end the inning.
 
The Owls collected two of its four hits in the top of the seventh inning as Hannah Campbell led off the inning with a double to right center. Brailee Schulte followed with a single to right field putting runners on the corner with no out. However, this time Rylee Rogers settled down and struck out the next two Owls batters and got the next to pop out to keep the Owls off the board.
 
Williams Baptist put two runners on base with two outs, and Haley Overbay came to the plate, and hit a ground ball which the Owls bobbled and the Eagles loaded the bases. The next batter, Madelyn Poe singled to center scoring the lone run of the game and giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead over the Owls.
 
By the Numbers
4 – The Owls committed four errors in dropping game one
4 – William Woods collected four hits in game one
1 – WWU had four players collected one hit in the contest
5 – Allison Waskow struck out five in the opening game of the series
1 – Hannah Campbell collected the only extra base hit for the Owls
0 – The Owls were shutout in the opener
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Allison Waskow, 6.2 IP, 11H, 1R (0ER), 2BB's, 5K's
WBC – Rylee Rogers, 7 IP, 4H, 0R (0ER), 0BB's 8K's
 
Game Two
Game Flow
Like the first game of the doubleheader, the Owls and Eagles offense were slow starting because of each teams pitching. In the bottom of the second inning, the Owls looked to get things going offensively, as Beth Begemann doubled to right center with one out. She was still standing on third base after a ground out and a single by Amanda Bouchey put runners on the corners. However, both runners were left on base as the next hitter for WWU was retired.
 
The Eagles looked to be getting its offense going in the top of the third against Owls starter, Sierra Jacques. After a lineout back to Jacques, the Eagles recorded back-to-back hits putting two runners on. Jacques retired the next two batters ending the threat for Williams Baptist.
 
Williams Baptist offense continued to look like it would come to life as after the first two hitters were retired in the fourth, they recorded three straight singles, however, Ashley Lyons tried to score from second base on the third single and was thrown out at the plate keeping the game scoreless.
 
The Eagles broke through against the Owls in the top of the fifth inning. After a leadoff groundout, Williams Baptist recorded back-to-back singles off Jacques. After the second single, the Owls made a pitching change and brought in Waskow.
 
A third straight single loaded the bases for the Eagles with one out. With the bases loaded Brooke Mason laid down a bunt and reached base scoring one and keeping the bases loaded. The run was the first run of the game and the Eagles led the Owls 1-0. After the run, Waskow retired the next two hitters and the Eagles led 1-0, going to the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
The Owls did not tail long as Shelby LeCuru led off the Owls half of the inning with solo home run to left field. LeCuru took a 2-0 pitch out for her first home run of the season. That would be all the Owls would get in the inning.
 
Williams Baptist broke the tie in the top of the sixth inning when they scored two runs on two hits. Randi Bachtel and Susannah Pugh collected RBI hits in the inning taking a 3-1 lead over William Woods.
 
The Owls offense could not get anything going in the sixth or seventh inning as they were retired in order in both of the innings. The Owls were defeated 3-1, in game two and were eliminated from the AMC Softball Tournament.
 
By the Numbers
1 – WWU scored one run in the contest
1 – Shelby LeCuru hit her first home run of the season
6 – The Owls collected six hits in the contest
1 – William Woods had six players collect one hit in the contest
2 – The Owls struck out two Eagles in the contest
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Sierra Jacques, 4.1 IP, 8H, 1R (1ER), 0BB's, 1K
WBC – Catherine Totty, 3.1 IP, 5H, 0R (0ER), 0BB's, 1K